AFC West power rankings: Rollercoaster week shifts momentum in division

Week 3 in the NFL provided some more games that went down to the wire, along with a few stunners here and there. Inside the AFC West, it was a complete mixed bag for results in the division. The Chiefs moved to 3-0, winning another tight contest, this time on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos got their first victory of the season by dominating the red-hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers after traveling down to Florida.

It was a week to forget for the other two teams in the AFC West. The Carolina Panthers looked like a laughingstock heading to Las Vegas. Amid a QB change, Andy Dalton led Carolina to a trouncing victory putting the Raiders in a state of shock. Elsewhere, the Chargers took the brunt of the physical contest in Pittsburgh, as the Steelers had a strong second half. At the same time, Los Angeles is now facing even more injury questions heading into a contest against the Chiefs.

How do the AFC West power rankings stack up after a wild and wacky Week 3? Here is where things stand.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs may not be firing on all cylinders just yet. Though, as Cris Collinsworth alluded to on the Sunday Night Football broadcast, even when they are not at their best, it is still better than most of the league. Patrick Mahomes has to be better at reading the field and he admitted that he's struggling with some things early in the season. On the bright side, Steve Spagnuolo's defense had a heck of a showing in Atlanta after giving up an opening-drive touchdown. Nick Bolton was a star all night long.

Kansas City always seems to come in sharp and well-prepared for division contests. Now entering a game at the Chargers in Week 4, can the Chiefs offense find a more consistent rhythm? That may be the biggest difference in getting to 4-0 this upcoming week.

2. Los Angeles Chargers

It was a tough loss in a gritty football game for the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh is knowingly trying to incorporate his brand of bully ball into the L.A. roster. But on Sunday, they were facing an opponent who is completely fine with that style of game as well. T.J. Watt and Co. wrecked the Chargers' passing game with their ferocious pressure. A rushing attack that started hot was largely stymied by the Steelers' strong tackling.

To make matters worse, the Chargers saw rookie offensive tackle Joe Alt leave with a knee injury. He is expected to miss time with an MCL injury according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The other offensive tackle, Rashawn Slater, could miss the KC game with a pec injury. And worst of all, Justin Herbert may have banged up his sprained ankle even more. He did not finish the game in Pittsburgh. 2-1 is still a solid place to be for a team rebuilding their identity.

3. Denver Broncos

Welcome to the win column, Denver. The Broncos pounced on the 2-0 Buccaneers quickly and never looked back on Sunday. In a 26-7 drubbing, Bo Nix displayed a bit more comfort than the first two weeks. His legs made just as much of an impact as his arm, as he rushed for a touchdown to open the scoring. Denver's defensive front also had another impressive showing. Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times by the Broncos with six different defenders notching a sack on Sunday.

The Broncos still have some areas to tighten up. But after a miserable first two weeks, they deserve a bump up in the AFC West power rankings, given who they beat and how they beat them. Next up, a road game against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets stands as another fascinating test for Sean Payton's squad.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

What a difference a week makes for the Las Vegas Raiders. They went to Baltimore in Week 2 and somehow found a way to steal one from the Ravens with a comeback victory. Their opponent in Week 3, the Panthers, made headlines early in the week by benching former first-overall pick Bryce Young. That made the aforementioned Dalton the signal caller for a team just looking to find their footing.

Finding that footing was really not that difficult. Even with all the top quarterbacks around the league, Dalton's huge day made him the first QB this season to throw for 300+ yards and three touchdowns. Las Vegas gave up 36 points to a team that had barely been able to move the ball. And after a troubling showing, head coach Antonio Pierce questioned the effort of his team and is even thinking of a possible quarterback change.

At 1-2, the Raiders drop to the bottom of the AFC West power rankings and once again sit with too many question marks.